Switch-operating apparatus.



No. 657,690. Patented Sept. ll, |900.. M. W. BROWN, E.A. BYRNE & J. GILSENAN.

SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed May 24, 1900.)

2 SheetsS.heet I.

(No Model) ATTORNEYS m: noam PETER: co. Pncm-umo wnsmuawu. n. c.

No. 657,690. Patented Sept. ll, I900. M. W. BROWN, E. A. BYBNE &. J. GILSENAN. SWITCH OPERATING APPARATUS.

(Application filed May 24, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shem 2. id; 5 7

II 'II I I I l I ll 7 L W TA/ESSES I 7y- UNrrnD STATES PATENT OFFI E.

MAURICE WVIIJLIAM BROIVN, EDWIN ARTHUR BYRNE, AND JOHN GILSENAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

SWITCH-OPERATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,690, dated September 1 1, 1900. Application filed May 24, 1900 Sawmills-17,801. on] mi es To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, MAURICE WILLIAM BROWN, EDWIN ARTHUR BYRNE, and JOHN GILSENAN, citizens of the United States, re-

siding at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Operating Apparatus, of which the following is a full and complete specification, such as will 1: enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved switch-operating apparatus designed for use in connection with horse-car,

i 5 trolley-car, and cablecar systems, and which may be operated by the driver or niotorinan from the platform of a car.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompa- 2 1 nying drawings form a part, in which the separate parts of our improvement are designated by the same reference characters in each of the views, and in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a section of a railway track and switch with our improved switch-operating apparatus connected therewith; Fig. 2, a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side view of one end of a car, showing that part of the apparatus connected therewith, part of the construction beingshown in section; and Fig. 5, a front view, part of the construction being shown in section.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, reference being made to Fig. 1, We have shown at A the main rails of a railwaytrack, at B the rails of a switch, and at C the usual switcl1-tongne, which is pivoted at 0 G and in the practice of our invention we secure between the rails of the track and adjacent to the switch aplate D, below which is supported a plate cl, arranged transversely of the track, and below which is a similar plate (1 arranged at right angles to the plate 61. The plates (Z and d are shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and all of said plates, including the plate D, are preferably supported by the ties E, and

may be connected therewith in any desired manner.

Suspended from the plates (1 and d is a yokeshaped bracket F, in which is pivoted a lever G, with the opposite end portions of which are pivotally connected two rods g, which project upwardly through the plate (I and through openings in the plate D, and each of said rods is provided with a collar g at a predetermined distance below the upper end thereof, and placed loosely upon the upper end of each of said rods is a shoe-plate g. The lever 9 projects transversely of the track, and the end thereof in the direction of tho switch-tongue C is longer than the other and provided with a pivoted link 9 which is pivotally connected with one end of a crank-lc ver g pivotally supported at g in a yokeshapcd bracket g and the other end of the crank-lever g is pivot-ally connected at g with a pin, lug, or projection 0 secured to the switch-tongue C. When the switch is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the position of the lever and the parts connected therewith is that shown in Fig. 2, the shoe-plate g adjacent to the switch-tongue being raised and the other shoe-plate being depressed, and when the switch is open this position of the plates g" is reversed.

In Figs. 4 and 5 we have shown one end of a car, together with that part of the switchoperating apparatus which is connected with the platform of the car, and in practice we pivot to the bottom of the platform Hand at both sides thereof, as shown at h, a lever W, the longer arm of which projects downwardly and backward ly, the end thereof being curved upwardly,as shown at If. Pivotally connected with the lever 71 at h is a pin h, which projects up through an opening 71 111 the platform of the car, and a sleeve 7L8, provided with a head It, is also adapted to enter the opening h and rest upon the pin 7L5. A contractile spring K is secured at one end to the platform H and at the opposite end to the lever 7L2 and rearwardly of the connection of the pin 7L5. It will be understood that this construction is the same at both sides of the car, as shown in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that all the parts of the switch-operating apparatus which are placed between the rails of the track are inclosed in a casing or box L, by which they are protected, and this casing or box-may be cleaned out whenever desired.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following statement thereof.

Suppose a car to be moving along the track in the direction of the arrow at, the driver or motorman on the platform of the car will be able to see whether or not the switch is open or closed as the car approaches said switch, and by pressing one of the knobs or heads h, according to the position of the switch desired, he will be enabled to operate the switch, as will be readily understood. The pressure applied to one of the knobs or heads k forces the rear end of the corresponding lever 71. downwardly and brings it in contact with the corresponding shoe-plate g and the switch may be opened or closed, according to the location of the shoe-plate which is thus operated.

The entire apparatus is simple in construction and operation and well adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it will be apparent that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A switch-operatin g apparatus placed between the rails of a railway-track adjacent to the switch, and comprising a plate mounted between said rails, a box or casing beneath said plate and of which said plate forms a cover, a support suspended from and beneath said plate, a lever pivotally connected with said support and ranging transversely of the track, and in operative connection at one end with the switch-tongue, and rods pivotally connected with said lever at each side of its pivotal support, and extending upwardly through said plate, each of said rods being provided at its upper end with a shoe-plate which is loosely mounted thereon, and which rests in a corresponding cavity or recess formed in said plate, substantially as shown and described.

2. A switch-operating apparatus placedbetween the rails of a railway-trackadjacent to the switch, and comprising a plate mounted between said rails, a box or casing beneath said plate and of which said plate forms a cover, a support suspended from and beneath said plate, a lever pivotally connected with said support and ranging transversely of the track, and in operative connection at one end with the switch-tongue, and rods pivotally connected with said lever at each side of its pivotal support, and extending upwardly through said plate, each of said rods being provided at its upper end with a shoe-plate which is loosely mounted thereon, and which rests in a corresponding cavity or recess formed in said plate, and devices in connection with the platform of a car and adapted to be depressed into contact with said shoeplates, whereby said lever and said switch are operated, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a plate mounted between the rails of a railway-track and adjacent to a switch, an open box or casing beneath said plate and of which said plate forms a cover, a support suspended from and beneath said plate, a lever pivotally connected with said support and extending transversely of the track, rods pivotally connected with the opposite ends of said lever and extending upwardly through said plate, shoe-plates loosely mounted on the ends of said rods in openings formed in said plate, one end of said lever being also .in operative connection with the switch-tongue by means of a link pivotally connected with said lever, and a crank-lever pivotally supported beneath-said switch-tongue and in operative connection with said switch-tongue and said link, said lever being adapted to be operated by devices connected with the platform of a car and operating in connection with said shoe-plates, substantially as shown and described. p

In testimony'that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of May, 1900.

MAURICE WILLIAM BROWVN. EDWVIN ARTHUR BYRNE. JOHN GILSENAN. Witnesses:

EDWARD L. DUNCAN, WILLIAM F. RYAN. 

